MBA program grows student experience

The MBA program at Warrington has long had a strong reputation and rankings to back it up. To ensure it stays that way in the future, the program knows it’s important to continue innovating and expanding program offerings.

One large opportunity for growth came in strengthening the student experience. Whether that’s helping students learn directly from major companies, building soft skills or creating connection for students who can’t make it to Gainesville, the MBA program is helping students learn how to apply their knowledge and feel more engaged at the same time.

“We’re increasing the benefits and effectiveness of the academic experience,” said John Gresley, Associate Dean for Master’s Programs and Executive Director of MBA Programs. “It’s important to connect students with experiential learning to apply concepts they learn in class. We’re continuing to invest in things we know work well and expanding them to be more frequent and offer more opportunity.”

Those opportunities come through six new program enhancements, many of which that were created during the 2024-2025 academic year.

MBA SUMMIT SERIES

This two-day, immersive experience puts students at the doorstep of major markets with trending industries and established MBA alumni. Summits are fast-paced with industry immersion, networking, skill development and community building. With professional workshops and company visits, students will deepen their skills and gain a more profound knowledge of an industry. In Orlando, Disney employees spoke about building a brand. In Houston, ExxonMobil leaders spoke about the energy industry. In Atlanta, Delta leaders spoke about innovation. These regional ties create unique connections for students and give them a deep background on a company and industry.

MBA RISE TO LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

An immersive learning program designed specifically for Full-Time MBA students to master the essential skills for success in leadership. This program offers five sessions that build on one another to focus on communication, collaboration, adaptability, accountability, decision-making and conflict management. Students take business concepts learned in the classroom and apply them in hands-on learning experiences while working alongside strong industry leaders and subject matter experts.

MBA INSIGHTS SERIES

This is a conference series built around a specific theme and hosted in major U.S. cities, making it easier for students out of Gainesville to make the trip. They offer a unique platform for members of the Warrington MBA community to learn, connect and advance their professional journeys. The theme drives the planning for the weekend. For example, an upcoming insights series in Orlando is themed around the word ‘empower’ and will empower leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals across all industries.

IMPACT SKILLS SERIES

This initiative is a series of virtual skill development sessions. Each session lasts 60-90 minutes during weeknights to increase involvement from students across program formats. This series supplements their coursework with skills they can immediately put to use in their careers. Each interactive session is taught by faculty and subject-matter experts. If students see a gap in their skillset, this series can help them strengthen that area.

MBA CAMPUS RESIDENCY

This weekend is offered to every MBA student who isn’t in the Full-Time format. It’s a weekend of school spirit and pride, giving students from outside of Gainesville an idea of what life as a Gator looks like. In the fall, campus residency weekends include a tailgate and attending a football game. In the spring, students attend a baseball game. There are skill development sessions planned for these weekends as well, combining learning with the excitement of these signature Gator experiences on the UF campus.

DOMESTIC IMMERSION EXPERIENCE

The MBA program has offered Global Immersion Experiences for more than 20 years. Domestic Immersion Experiences are a new offering with a similar itinerary in a closer location. Professional students who had difficulty scheduling an international trip can now travel to a domestic location and still feel immersed in its business and local culture. With trips to New York City and San Francisco recently completed, students work closely with local companies to apply their classroom knowledge and solve business problems. It is a unique opportunity to build professional networks through interactions with executives and industry leaders with many of them being Warrington alumni.

The increased programming is drawing rave reviews from students. They complete surveys at the end of the each event and consistently point to the networking benefits that come from spending time around other MBA students they didn’t know before the event. The series also continue to sell out quickly with long wait lists for students who still want to attend.